Bucs Showing Interest In Unga

Former BYU running back, Harvey Unga, one of three eligible players for the NFL supplemental draft, which takes place on July 15th worked out for twenty-four teams Thursday. The Bucs who have shown some interest in Unga were in Provo, Utah. As their interest continues to mount; they got an up close look at Unga, who measured in at 6-foot-1, 244-pounds.

Unga, BYU’s all-time leading rusher with 3,455 yards and 36 touchdowns, withdrew from BYU in April, after violating the school’s Honor Code by having a relationship, speculated to be premarital sex with Keilani Moeaki, the younger sister of former Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in April. Last fall, the hard-charging Unga led the Mountain West Conference in rushing with 1,087 yards and 11 touchdowns. The wildly productive Unga during his career, became the first BYU player to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.

He’s also an accomplished pass catcher leaving BYU with 102 receptions for 1,085 yards and 9 touchdowns. While Bucs Central was not in attendance, it’s being reported that during drills on Thursday Unga proceeded to show off his hands as he didn’t drop a single pass. He completed 19 reps on the bench, touched 35-inches on the vertical jump and posted a broad jump of 9-feet 6-inches. He ran faster than most anyone expected in the forty, clocking times which ranged between 4.58-4.63 seconds on both attempts. His fastest timing at ten yards was 1.65-seconds and he recorded a short shuttle time of 4.49.

With the Bucs having had an eye on punishing runner LeGarrette Blount leading up to the draft and with multiple Bucs staff members advocating that the team draft Blount in the seventh round in April’s draft. Unga could potentially fill the role, the team had envisioned for Blount. As the teams’ short yardage back. A possible fourth or fifth-round pick, in next weeks supplemental draft Unga has much better feet than people give him credit for.

The teams’ backfield is currently made up of slashing runners like Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward, and with scat backs like Clifton Smith and Kareem Huggins. However, they lack that true inside punishing runner who can grind out yards. Which brings us to the case of the Buccaneers two fifth round picks in 2011. If they have a real interest in finding a grinder for the short yardage game and a player who can contribute in the passing game, like they have planned for fullback Earnest Graham, then pull the trigger on Unga in the fifth.